ATHC thrift shop now open in Watertown

Published September 11, 2013 at 10:37 am

A new thrift shop is now open in downtown Watertown, the work of the Adult Training and Habilitation Center.

The organization, which also runs the Douglas Kugler Eco Site recycling center, opened the shop several weeks ago at 142 Lewis Ave. The thrift shop is the second one that the organization has opened. ATHC has also run a shop called the The Attic in Winsted since 2010. The new thrift shop in Watertown is called Eco Thrift, the result of a naming process that sought suggestions from Watertown residents.

ATHC is a non-profit organization that provides employment and training opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities. The organization has operations in Winsted, Hutchinson and Watertown.

About two dozen adults with disabilities are employed at the recycling center in Watertown. For now, those employees will sort and price items at the recycling center before they are moved to the downtown thrift shop. Officials at ATHC hope the new shop will lead to new and different job opportunities for adults with disabilities.

The store is tentatively scheduled to have hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. Anybody wishing to donate items should deliver them to the recycling center at 676 Industrial Blvd. in Watertown.